Yijia Wang

Yiga Wang is a London-based Chinese jewellery designer. She has graduated from Birmingham City University with a BA in Jewellery Design and Related Products and is completing an MA in Jewellery and Metal at the Royal College of Art.

As a contemporary jewellery designer, Yiga believes that jewellery design is not only limited to ideals of beauty but also acts as a carrier of cultural information/transmission. Yiga focuses on the relationship between jewellery design and society, and draws inspiration from everything around her. She loves to interact with people, and she also loves to communicate with people through the language of jewellery design, specifically through different materials and forms.

This series of works is inspired by the shape and color of ancient cowrie shell money. Combining the traditional craftsmanship of mother-of-pearl inlay with contemporary jewellery design.

Yigia makes connections between ideas about currency, value, status and jewellery. Based on the shape and cultural background of status shells, practice explores the connection and boundaries between currency and jewellery.

Works are placed on the beach, amid the sand and sea water. By erosion of layers of waves, it was in danger of being washed away at any time. The boundaries between money and jewelry, artificial and natural, become blurred.